Kasus Bank century menjadi buah bibir di kalangan masyarakat saat ini, dan kita ketahui kasus yang melanda salah satu bank di indonesia ini yang menyebabkan pemerintah melalui Bi mengucurkan dana yang luamyan besar untuk menyelamatkan bank yang kini beralaih nama menjadi Bank Permata ini, kasus bank centuty telah berkembang selama ini sehingga menimbulkan pernyataan yang sangat penting untuk di jawab, karena setelah rapat paripurna DPR mengatakan tidak ada pengucuran dana, akan tetapi pemerintah saat ini tetep melakukan suntukan dana segar ke bank century sehingga hal ini yang menyebabkan anggota DPR melakukan inisiatif hak angket

Berikut ini merupakan kronologis kasus bank century yang mengakibatkan hak angket DPR harus dilaksanakan yang saya dapatkan dari berbagai sumber
Kasus Bank Century – Kasus Bank Century hingga kini masih menjadi pemberitaan hangat disejumlah media massa, baik media massa yang berorientasi elektronik dan cetak. Kasus Bank Century juga telah menyeret berbagai institusi hukum di Indonesia, seperti halnya KPK, POLRI,dan DPR.

Bagaimana sebenarnya kronologi awal persoalan yang dihadapi oleh Bank Century sampai Bank ini dinyatakan harus diselamatkan oleh pemerintah? Berikut kita simak kronologisnya, dimana sumber dari kronologis berikut ini diperoleh Karo Cyber dari berbagai sumber situs internet:

2003
Bank CIC diketahui didera masalah yang diindikasikan dengan adanya surat-surat berharga valutas asing sekitar Rp2 triliun, yang tidak memiliki peringkat, berjangka panjang, berbunga rendah, dan sulit di jual. BI menyarankan merger untuk mengatasi ketidakberesan bank ini.

2004
Bank CIC merger bersama Bank Danpac dan bank Pikko yang kemudian berganti nama menjadi Bank Century. Surat-surat berharga valas terus bercokol di neraca bank hasil merger ini. BI menginstruksikan untuk di jual, tapi tidak dilakukan pemegang saham. Pemegang saham membuat perjanjian untuk menjadi surat-surat berharga ini dengan deposito di Bank Dresdner, Swiss, yang belakangan ternyata sulit ditagih.

2005
BI mendeteksi surat-surat berharga valas di Ban Century sebesar US$210 juta.

30 Oktober dan 3 November 2008
Sebanyak US$56 juta surat-surat berharga valas jatuh tempo dan gagal bayar. Bank Century kesulitan likuiditas. Posisi CAR Bank Century per 31 Oktober minus 3,53%.

13 November 2008
Bank Century gagal kliring karena gagal menyediakan dana (prefund)

17 November 2008
Antaboga Delta Sekuritas yang dimilik Robert Tantutar mulai default membayar kewajiban atas produk discreationary fund yang di jual Bank Century sejak akhir 2007.

20 November 2008
BI Mengirim surat kepada Menteri Keuangan yang menentapkan Bank Century sebagai bank gagal yang berdampak sistemik dan mengusulkan langkah penyelamatan oleh Lembaga Penjamin Simpanan (LPS). Di hari yang sama, Komite Kebijakan Sektor Keuangan (KKSK) yang beranggotakan BI, Menteri Keuangan, dan LPS, melakukan rapat.

21 November 2008
Ban Century diambil alih LPS berdasarkan keputusan KKSK dengan surat Nomor 04.KKSK.03/2008. Robert Tantular, salah satu pemegang saham Bank Century, bersama tujuh pengurus lainnya di cekal. Pemilik lain, Rafat Ali Rizvi dan Hesham Al-Warraq menghinglang.

23 November 2008
LPS memutuskan memberikan dana talangan senilai Rp2,78 triliun untuk mendongkrak CAR menjadi 10%.

5 Desember 2008
LPS menyuntikkan dana Rp2,2 triliun agar Bank Century memenuhi tingkat kesehatan bank.

9 Desember 2008
Bank Century mulai menghadapi tuntutan ribuan investor Antaboga atas penggelapan dana investasi senilai Rp1,38 triliun yang mengalir ke Robert Tantular.

31 Desember 2008
Bank Century mencatat kerugian Rp7,8 triliun pada 2008. Aset-nya tergerus menjadi Rp5,58 triliun dari Rp14,26 triliun pada 2007.

3 Februari 2009
LPS menyuntikkan dana Rp1,5 triliun.

11 Mei 2009
Bank Century keluar dari pengawasan khusus BI.

3 Juli 2009
Parlemen mulai menggugat karena biaya penyelamatan Bank Century terlalu besar.

21 Juli 2009
LPS menyuntikkan dana Rp630 miliar.

18 Agustus 2009
Robert Tantular dituntut delapan tahun penjara dan denda Rp50 miliar subsider lima bulan kurungan di Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Pusat. Sebelumnya pada 15 Agustus, manajemen Bank Century menggugatnya sebesar Rp2,2 triliun.

3 September 2009
Kepala Kepolisian Republik Indonesia menyampaikan kepada Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat agar terus mengejar aset Robert Tantular sebesar US$19,25 juta, serta Hesham Al-Warraq dan Rafat Ali Rizvi sebesar US$1,64 miliar.

10 September 2009
Robert Tantular divonis 4 tahun penjara dan dengan Rp50 miliar.

Dengan adanya kasus Bank Century ini, maka beberapa saat yang lalu masyarakat juga sempat dihebohkan kasus Bibit-Chandra yang disebut-sebut terkait dengan kasus Bank Century itu sendiri.

Dalam sebuah pemberitaan yang diterbitkan oleh liputan6.com, maka Tif pencari Fakta (TPF) kasus Bibit-Chandra menduga, upaya kriminalisasi terhadap pimpinan KPK yang berujung pada penahanan Bibit dan Chandra, terkait dengan kasus Bank Century.

“Menurut kami, ada kaitannya. Tapi sejauhmana kaitannya masih kami dalami,” kata Sekretaris TPF Deny Indrayana, Selasa (10/11).

eperti diberitakan sebelumnya, upaya penyelamatan Bank Century diwarnai dugaan korupsi dan suap yang melibatkan Kabareskrim Komjen Susno Duadji. Susno diduga ikut menikmati aliran dana Rp 10 miliar dan tengah diselidiki oleh KPK.

Namun dalam beberapa kali kesempatan, Susno Duadji yang sempat dinonaktfikan dari jabatannya selalu membantah dugaan itu. Bahkan saat mengikuti rapat dengan Komisi III DPR, Susno sempat bersumpah bahwa dirinya tidak menerima uang dari Bank Century. Hal yang sama juga diungkapkan Susno ketika dimintai keterangan oleh TPF beberapa waktu lalu.

Kini TPF bekerja keras untuk mengungkap apakah memang ada keterkaitan langsung antara Kasus Bank Century dengan upaya kriminalisasi terhadap Bibit dan Chandra.

Atas kasus Bank Century hal yang paling mencuat akhir-akhir ini adalah mengenai Hak Angket DPR untuk kasus Century. Mengenai hak angket Century sejauh ini telah terbentuk Tim Sembilan yang diharapkan dapat memimpin Panitia Angket Century itu sendiri.

Sejumlah aktivis dari berbagai elemen masyarakat, Kamis (3/12), menyatakan sikap, berharap Tim Sembilan, tim yang mengusung hak angket Bank Century, untuk turut dalam panitia khusus hak angket Bank Century. Mereka mendukung dan memercayai anggota Tim Sembilan untuk memimpin dan menjadi anggota panitia angket tersebut.

“Saya pikir yang diusulkan semestinya ketua pansus itu dari Tim Sembilan,” ujar aktivis KOMPAK, Ray Rangkuti, ketika ditemui dalam konferensi pers di Kantor PP Muhammadiyah, di Jakarta, Kamis (3/12).

Turut hadir dalam pertemuan tersebut aktivis dari Ikatan Mahasiswa Muhammadiyah (IMM), Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil Anti Korupsi (KOMPAK), Liga Mahasiswa Nasional untuk Demokrasi (LMND), Forum Kepemimpinan Muda Indonesia (FKIP), dan beberapa elemen lainnya.

Harapan mereka adalah adanya penyeleksian dalam memilih orang-orang yang akan duduk dalam panitia hak angket tersebut. “Kalau bisa orang-orangnya diseleksi,” kata Ray.

Dalam pernyataan sikapnya, mereka mengatakan, kepercayaan masyarakat telah tertambat kepada Tim Sembilan sejak upaya mereka yang tidak kenal lelah dalam mengusung dan mengajukan hak angket ini. Mereka berharap pemimpin parpol sebaiknya tidak mengabaikan kepercayaan rakyat tersebut.

Selanjutnya, Jumat (4/12) besok, bertepatan dengan penetapan panitia hak angket Bank Century oleh DPR, para aktivis tersebut berencana akan menggelar aksi di Nusantara Tiga Gedung DPR RI, Jakarta, pukul 14.00. Tema yang diusung masih sama, yaitu “Tolak Penumpang Gelap Pansus Century”.

Sebagai mesin penggerak awal usulan hak angket atas kasus dana talangan Bank Century senilai Rp 6,7 triliun, wajar saja jika Fraksi PDI-P ngotot mengisi posisi pimpinan Panitia Angket Century.

Sebagian publik pun menyuarakan keinginannya agar fraksi Moncong Putih memimpin panitia angket yang beranggotakan 30 orang tersebut. Alasannya, fraksi ketiga terbesar di Parlemen itu tidak terkooptasi dengan kubu pemerintah, pihak yang hendak diperiksa dalam kasus ini.

Namun, bagaimanakah peluang fraksi pimpinan politisi senior Tjahjo Kumolo tersebut? Secara matematis politik, peluang F-PDIP yang menjagokan politisi kawakan Gayus Lumbuun tidaklah besar. Maklum, F-PDIP hanya memiliki 5 kursi di panitia angket.

Sementara itu, fraksi-fraksi mitra koalisi gerbong Partai Demokrat memiliki kekuatan 23 kursi. “Jika mekanisme pemilihan pimpinan melalui voting, kami pasti kalah,” ujar calon anggota Panitia Angket Century dari F-PDIP, Ganjar Pranowo, kepada Kompas.com, Jumat (4/12).

Sejumlah langkah pun telah dilakukan F-PDIP untuk “mengamankan” kursi pimpinan fraksi. Misalnya, fraksi yang beranggotakan 94 orang tersebut telah melakukan lobi-lobi politik kepada fraksi lainnya di DPR. Hasilnya?baca selanjutnya..

Sebagai mesin penggerak awal usulan hak angket atas kasus dana talangan Bank Century senilai Rp 6,7 triliun, wajar saja jika Fraksi PDI-P ngotot mengisi posisi pimpinan Panitia Angket Century.

Sebagian publik pun menyuarakan keinginannya agar fraksi Moncong Putih memimpin panitia angket yang beranggotakan 30 orang tersebut. Alasannya, fraksi ketiga terbesar di Parlemen itu tidak terkooptasi dengan kubu pemerintah, pihak yang hendak diperiksa dalam kasus ini.

Namun, bagaimanakah peluang fraksi pimpinan politisi senior Tjahjo Kumolo tersebut? Secara matematis politik, peluang F-PDIP yang menjagokan politisi kawakan Gayus Lumbuun tidaklah besar. Maklum, F-PDIP hanya memiliki 5 kursi di panitia angket.

Sementara itu, fraksi-fraksi mitra koalisi gerbong Partai Demokrat memiliki kekuatan 23 kursi. “Jika mekanisme pemilihan pimpinan melalui voting, kami pasti kalah,” ujar calon anggota Panitia Angket Century dari F-PDIP, Ganjar Pranowo, kepada Kompas.com, Jumat (4/12).

Sejumlah langkah pun telah dilakukan F-PDIP untuk “mengamankan” kursi pimpinan fraksi. Misalnya, fraksi yang beranggotakan 94 orang tersebut telah melakukan lobi-lobi politik kepada fraksi lainnya di DPR. Hasilnya?baca selanjutnya..

03.12.09 12:37 MA Tolak Kasasi Tentang Ujian Nasional Mahkamah Agung (MA) menolak permohonan kasasi yang diajukan pemerintah terkait dengan pelaksanaan Ujian Nasional (Unas) sehingga dengan putusan tersebut, maka dapat dikatakan bahwa UN yang selama ini …

03.12.09 12:27 MUI Dorong Sertifikasi Halal ASEAN Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) terus mendorong upaya mewujudkan standard halal ASEAN .”Kami terus mengupayakan terealisasinya ini, memang harus bertahap. Namun dengan dukungan semua pihak dan …

03.12.09 12:25 Jakob Oetama: Media Cetak Punya Masa Depan Chairman Kompas Gramedia Group, Jakob Oetama mengatakan, media cetak akan tetap bertahan di masa depan dan siap bersaing secara profesional dengan media baru yang saat ini banyak bermunculan. …

03.12.09 12:24 Lintas Agama Minta Penanganan Kasus Century Transparan Tokoh lintas agama meminta penanganan kasus Bank Century dilakukan secara transparan agar tidak menimbulkan persoalan baru, kata Ketua Umum PBNU KH Hasyim Muzadi. “Jika transparansi ini …

03.12.09 12:22 Kearifan Lokal Penting untuk Memperkuat Keindonesiaan Mencuatkan kembali kearifan-kearifan lokal yang dimiliki ratusan etnis dan suku bangsa dinilai sangat penting untuk memperkuat rasa keindonesiaan dan menekan potensi konflik di masyarakat. Sejarawan …

03.12.09 12:19 Mendagri Malaysia Geleng Kepala Dengar Cerita TKW Menteri Dalam Negeri Malaysia Hishammudin Onn menggeleng-gelengkan kepala setelah mendengarkan cerita seorang TKW bermasalah yang tinggal di penampungan sementara KBRI Kuala Lumpur.”Siapa yang …

03.12.09 12:15 Ical Tidak Yakin Surya Paloh Tinggalkan Golkar Ketua Umum DPP Partai Golkar Aburizal Bakrie tidak yakin mantan Ketua Dewan Penasihat Partai Golkar Surya Paloh akan meninggalkan partai itu dan bergabung dengan Partai Hanura maupun …

03.12.09 12:12 Laode: Jangan Terlalu Berharap Kepada Panitia Angket Wakil Ketua Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (DPD) RI Laode Ida menyatakan bahwa masyarakat jangan terlalu berharap kepada panitia angket Bank Century, walaupun Rapat Paripurna DPR RI menyetujui pembentukan …

03.12.09 12:10 25 Persen Pelajar Sukabumi Jadi Pekerja Seks Sekitar 25 persen dari 239 wanita pekerja seks (WPS) langsung di Kota Sukabumi, Jawa Barat, berasal dari kaum pelajar yang disebabkan oleh keinginan hidup mewah.”Dulu, penyebab para pelajar …

03.12.09 11:24 Belanda Miliki Sendiri Mosi terhadap Menara Mesjid Menyusul Swiss, Belanda juga menarik perhatian dengan mosi anti menara mesjid atau minaret ini. Mosi yang diajukan kelompok kecil kristen-kanan SGP tidaklah memiliki peluang di …

03.12.09 11:21 Hari Aids Sedunia: Kondom MasihTabu 1 Desember masyarakat internasional memperingati Hari Aids Sedunia. Setiap hari ribuan orang meninggal akibat penyakit ini. Di Indonesia, daerah-daerah yang masih …

03.12.09 11:19 Rencana Pemberontakan Pangeran Bernhard di Indonesia Almarhum Pangeran Bernhard ternyata ingin melakukan kudeta di Indonesia, ketika negeri bekas jajahan Belanda ini baru merdeka. Demikian tertulis dalam sebuah buku yang …

03.12.09 11:17 tidak Untuk Sunat Perempuan Sembilan desa di Mali, Afrika, menyerukan “tidak” terhadap sunat perempuan. Perlahan, situasi seputar sunat perempuan berubah di Afrika. Dan Eropa harus belajar dari hal ini. …

03.12.09 11:04 Masa depan mobil listrik Banyak yang mengatakan pada masa 1980an, bahwa mobil listrik kelak akan populer namun ternyata tak terbukti hingga akhir abad 20. …

03.12.09 11:02 Vatikan undang tokoh seni Paus Benediktus mengundang sejumlah seniman, pematung, arsitek, musisi, sutradara film dan seorang penari balet Italia untuk bertemu di Vatikan. Pertemuan Sabtu di Kapel Sistine …

03.12.09 11:01 Perpustakaan di telepon umum Sebuah kotak telepon umum tradisional Inggris yang berwarna merah berhasil diubah menjadi perpustaan terkecil di Inggris dengan koleksi sekitar 100 buku, CD, dan DVD. Warga …

03.12.09 10:59 Angka HIV-AIDS di Indonesia meningkat Jumlah kasus HIV-AIDS di Indonesia meningkat, menurut data pemerintah. Para pejabat PBB mengatakan kasus penyakit ini meningkat secara lebih cepat melalui hubungan seksual dan …

03.12.09 10:55 Taliban: strategi Amerika tak akan jalan Taliban mengatakan mereka akan meningkatkan perjuangan mereka di Afganistan, setelah Amerika dan para sekutu negara itu mengatakan akan mengirimkan pasukan tambahan. Seorang juru …

03.12.09 10:54 Indonesia larang film Balibo Indonesia melarang pemutaran film Balibo yang mengangkat kasus tewasnya lima wartawan Australia dalam sebuah serangan pasukan Indonesia Timor Timur tahun 1975. Sampai hari Rabu …

]]> http://news100.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/lintas-agama-minta-penanganan-kasus-century-transparan/ Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:24:00 +0000 kedung5704 http://news100.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/lintas-agama-minta-penanganan-kasus-century-transparan/

03.12.09 12:37 MA Tolak Kasasi Tentang Ujian Nasional Mahkamah Agung (MA) menolak permohonan kasasi yang diajukan pemerintah terkait dengan pelaksanaan Ujian Nasional (Unas) sehingga dengan putusan tersebut, maka dapat dikatakan bahwa UN yang selama ini …

03.12.09 12:27 MUI Dorong Sertifikasi Halal ASEAN Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) terus mendorong upaya mewujudkan standard halal ASEAN .”Kami terus mengupayakan terealisasinya ini, memang harus bertahap. Namun dengan dukungan semua pihak dan …

03.12.09 12:25 Jakob Oetama: Media Cetak Punya Masa Depan Chairman Kompas Gramedia Group, Jakob Oetama mengatakan, media cetak akan tetap bertahan di masa depan dan siap bersaing secara profesional dengan media baru yang saat ini banyak bermunculan. …

03.12.09 12:24 Lintas Agama Minta Penanganan Kasus Century Transparan Tokoh lintas agama meminta penanganan kasus Bank Century dilakukan secara transparan agar tidak menimbulkan persoalan baru, kata Ketua Umum PBNU KH Hasyim Muzadi. “Jika transparansi ini …

03.12.09 12:22 Kearifan Lokal Penting untuk Memperkuat Keindonesiaan Mencuatkan kembali kearifan-kearifan lokal yang dimiliki ratusan etnis dan suku bangsa dinilai sangat penting untuk memperkuat rasa keindonesiaan dan menekan potensi konflik di masyarakat. Sejarawan …

03.12.09 12:19 Mendagri Malaysia Geleng Kepala Dengar Cerita TKW Menteri Dalam Negeri Malaysia Hishammudin Onn menggeleng-gelengkan kepala setelah mendengarkan cerita seorang TKW bermasalah yang tinggal di penampungan sementara KBRI Kuala Lumpur.”Siapa yang …

03.12.09 12:15 Ical Tidak Yakin Surya Paloh Tinggalkan Golkar Ketua Umum DPP Partai Golkar Aburizal Bakrie tidak yakin mantan Ketua Dewan Penasihat Partai Golkar Surya Paloh akan meninggalkan partai itu dan bergabung dengan Partai Hanura maupun …

03.12.09 12:12 Laode: Jangan Terlalu Berharap Kepada Panitia Angket Wakil Ketua Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (DPD) RI Laode Ida menyatakan bahwa masyarakat jangan terlalu berharap kepada panitia angket Bank Century, walaupun Rapat Paripurna DPR RI menyetujui pembentukan …

03.12.09 12:10 25 Persen Pelajar Sukabumi Jadi Pekerja Seks Sekitar 25 persen dari 239 wanita pekerja seks (WPS) langsung di Kota Sukabumi, Jawa Barat, berasal dari kaum pelajar yang disebabkan oleh keinginan hidup mewah.”Dulu, penyebab para pelajar …

03.12.09 11:24 Belanda Miliki Sendiri Mosi terhadap Menara Mesjid Menyusul Swiss, Belanda juga menarik perhatian dengan mosi anti menara mesjid atau minaret ini. Mosi yang diajukan kelompok kecil kristen-kanan SGP tidaklah memiliki peluang di …

03.12.09 11:21 Hari Aids Sedunia: Kondom MasihTabu 1 Desember masyarakat internasional memperingati Hari Aids Sedunia. Setiap hari ribuan orang meninggal akibat penyakit ini. Di Indonesia, daerah-daerah yang masih …

03.12.09 11:19 Rencana Pemberontakan Pangeran Bernhard di Indonesia Almarhum Pangeran Bernhard ternyata ingin melakukan kudeta di Indonesia, ketika negeri bekas jajahan Belanda ini baru merdeka. Demikian tertulis dalam sebuah buku yang …

03.12.09 11:17 tidak Untuk Sunat Perempuan Sembilan desa di Mali, Afrika, menyerukan “tidak” terhadap sunat perempuan. Perlahan, situasi seputar sunat perempuan berubah di Afrika. Dan Eropa harus belajar dari hal ini. …

03.12.09 11:04 Masa depan mobil listrik Banyak yang mengatakan pada masa 1980an, bahwa mobil listrik kelak akan populer namun ternyata tak terbukti hingga akhir abad 20. …

03.12.09 11:02 Vatikan undang tokoh seni Paus Benediktus mengundang sejumlah seniman, pematung, arsitek, musisi, sutradara film dan seorang penari balet Italia untuk bertemu di Vatikan. Pertemuan Sabtu di Kapel Sistine …

03.12.09 11:01 Perpustakaan di telepon umum Sebuah kotak telepon umum tradisional Inggris yang berwarna merah berhasil diubah menjadi perpustaan terkecil di Inggris dengan koleksi sekitar 100 buku, CD, dan DVD. Warga …

03.12.09 10:59 Angka HIV-AIDS di Indonesia meningkat Jumlah kasus HIV-AIDS di Indonesia meningkat, menurut data pemerintah. Para pejabat PBB mengatakan kasus penyakit ini meningkat secara lebih cepat melalui hubungan seksual dan …

03.12.09 10:55 Taliban: strategi Amerika tak akan jalan Taliban mengatakan mereka akan meningkatkan perjuangan mereka di Afganistan, setelah Amerika dan para sekutu negara itu mengatakan akan mengirimkan pasukan tambahan. Seorang juru …

03.12.09 10:54 Indonesia larang film Balibo Indonesia melarang pemutaran film Balibo yang mengangkat kasus tewasnya lima wartawan Australia dalam sebuah serangan pasukan Indonesia Timor Timur tahun 1975. Sampai hari Rabu …

]]> http://holistikasaya.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/112/ Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:58:22 +0000 holistikasaya http://holistikasaya.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/112/

Daftar pejabat dan pihak-pihak yang diduga menerima aliran dana Bank Century versi aktivis Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) tampak ada kemiripan dengan yang disebut-sebut oleh Rina Dewreight dalam tulisannya berjudul Fakta di Balik Kriminalisasi KPK, dan Keterlibatan SBY. Aliran dana tersebut diduga demi kampanye pemenangan Partai Demokrat dan SBY.

Berikut ini adalah daftar pejabat dan pihak-pihak yang diduga menerima aliran dana Bank Century versi aktivis Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera)

1. KPU menerima dana Rp 200 miliar

2. LSI Rp 50 miliar

3. FOX Rp 200 miliar

4. Partai Demokrat Rp 700 miliar

5. Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono Rp 500 miliar

6. Hatta Radjasa Rp 10 miliar

7. Mantan Panglima TNI, Djoko Suyanto Rp 10 miliar.

8. Mantan Jubir Presiden Andi Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar

9. Rizal Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar

10. Choel Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar

11. Pengusaha Hartati Murdaya Rp 100 miliar.

Sedangkan dalam paragrafnya, Rina Dewreight menyebutkan begini:

Antasari sendiri bukan tidak tahu gerakan-gerakan yang dilakukan Kapolri dan Jaksa Agung yang di back up SBY untuk menjatuhkannya. Antasari bukannya malah nurut atau takut, justeru malah menjadi-jadi dan terkesan melawan SBY. Misalnya Antasari yang mengetahui Bank Century telah dijadikan “alat” untuk mengeluarkan duit negara untuk membiayai kampanye SBY, justru berkoar akan membongkar skandal bank itu. Antasari sangat tahu siapa saja operator –operator Century, dimana Sri Mulyani dan Budiono bertugas mengucurkan duit dari kas negara, kemudian Hartati Mudaya, dan Budi Sampurna, (adik Putra Sanpurna) bertindak sebagai nasabah besar yang seolah-olah menyimpan dana di Century, sehingga dapat ganti rugi, dan uang inilah yang digunakan untuk biaya kampanye SBY.

Tentu saja, dana tersebut dijalankan oleh Hartati Murdaya, dalam kapasitasnya sebagai Bendahara Paratai Demokrat, dan diawasi oleh Eddy Baskoro plus Djoko Sujanto (Menkolhukam) yang waktu itu jadi Bendahara Tim Sukses SBY. Modus penggerogotan duit Negara ini biar rapi maka harus melibatkan orang bank (agar terkesan Bank Century diselamatkan pemerintah), maka ditugaskan lah Agus Martowardoyo (Dirut Bank Mandiri), yang kabarnya akan dijadikan Gubernur BI ini. Agus Marto lalu menyuruh Sumaryono (pejabat Bank Mandiri yang terkenal lici dan korup) untuk memimpin Bank Century saat pemerintah mulai mengalirkan duit 6,7 T ke Bank Century.

Antasari bukan hanya akan membongkar Century, tetapi dia juga mengancam akan membongkar proyek IT di KPU, dimana dalam tendernya dimenangkan oleh perusahaannya Hartati Murdaya (Bendahara Demokrat). Antasari sudah menjadi bola liar, ia membahayakan bukan hanya SBY tetapi juga Kepolisian, Kejaksaan, dan para konglomerat , serta para innercycle SBY. Akhirnya Kapolri dan Kejaksaan Agung membungkam Antasari. Melalui para intel akhirnya diketahui orang-orang dekat Antasari untuk menggunakan menjerat Antasari.

Kalau ditilik dari kemiripan keduanya, antara tulisan Rina dan apa yang dilansir aktivis Bendera sesungguhnya saling melengkapi untuk menjadi satu mata rantai utuh tentang konspirasi. Namun pertanyaannya adalah: benarkah itu fakta yang sebenarnya terjadi di bumi pertiwi ini? Ataukah, sekilas seperti fakta, tapi sesungguhnya fiksi? Mungkin pembaca bisa lebih jernih melihat persoalan ini.

Berita tentang Temuan Aktivis Bendera:

http://www.primaironline.com/berita/detail.php?catid=Fokus_Berita&artid=ini-dia-nama-dan-lembaga-penerima-dana-century

Artikel Rina Dewreight

http://faktakriminalisasi.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/fakta-di-balik-kriminalisasi-kpk-dan-keterlibatan-sby/

(Tulisan di atas diambil dari: www.indonesiahotissue.blogspot.com)

Dr. Muhammad Mahmud Ghali | Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 146 | Size: 8.5 MB
This book presents an attempt at showing the integral relationship between Ibrahim (as) and his Progeny, only three of whom, besides himself, have been called the Messenger of Resolve. As the father of the most eminent leaders of  humanity, Ibrahim (as) still occupies the singular position of being Khalil an outstanding bondman of Allah (SWT).  His life has shown a long history of search for truth. Abraham is the father of the great Messengers, Musa, Isa and Muhammad (PBUT). Those relationships should motivate Eastern and Western Ibrahim’s countries to co-operate for  adopting policies of Peace instead of going to war with each other. Today, we do seek for more earnest endeavor for peace, definitely more than we needed peace in final decades of the last century.

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If you are in the market for a European tourist destination, you should consider the Latium region of central western Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Latium, also known as Laszio, is the region that includes Italy’s capital Rome, the Eternal City. Because it is so easy to find articles describing the multiple pleasures of Rome, we are going to write about the lesser-known attractions of Latium. This article focuses on Latium east of Rome. A companion article describes Latium west of Rome.

We’ll start our tour Tivoli about 22 miles (35 kilometers) northeast of Rome. We’ll head northeast to Subiaco. We’ll double back to Palestrina, which is south and a bit east of Tivoli. Then we travel south to Ninfa and Sermoneta before heading southeast to Sperlonga on the Tyrrhenian seacoast. We’ll head back northwest along the coast to finish our tour at Anzio. You may want to continue northwest along the coast to Ostia Antica, Ancient Rome&#8217s port city, which is not described in the present article.

Tivoli is famous as the site of Hadrian’s Villa, a not so little getaway retreat for one of Rome’s most famous emperors, built in the early Second Century. During the latter years of his rule ran the empire from this villa. The site exceeds a square kilometer (over 250 acres) and contains more than thirty buildings, some of which are yet to be excavated. A large part of this villa’s decorations and statues can be found in the Vatican Museums. Hadrian liked the dome on an Egyptian temple called Serapeum and transplanted the design to his villa. A prominent architect of the day begged to differ, comparing Hadrian’s design to a pumpkin. Can you guess how this story ends? Hadrian’s Villa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately part of the site is on the World Monuments Watch 100 Most Endangered Sites list. You may recognize this villa from the HBO film series, Angels in America.

Villa d’Este is another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tivoli. It is a beautiful water garden, reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This villa was founded in the mid-Sixteenth Century by Cardinal Ippolito of d’Este, son of Lucrezia Borgia, after not being chosen as Pope during a lengthy conclave. His loss was the world’s gain. Just to give you an idea of its scope; one of the ‘pathways’ is called the Avenue of One Hundred Fountains. Make sure that you visit the Fontana di Rome, a scale model of Ancient Roman, demolished but partially rebuilt.

The city of Subiaco, population about ten thousand, is the site of the Roman Emperor Nero’s villa, said to compete with Hadrian’s villa, constructed decades later. However, Nero’s villa is in ruins. You can see these ruins on your way to the cave in which St. Benedict lived for several years and founded his Sixth Century Monastery, which is still standing today. This Monastery contains numerous frescoes, some of which are over one thousand years old. The nearby abbey was the site of Italy’s first print shop, founded in 1464. You can well imagine the contents of its library.

Palestrina, whose population numbers some 18 thousand, was settled in the Seventh or Eighth Century B. C. under the name Praeneste. Like many cities near Rome, its graves often contain Etruscan artifacts. Some two thousand years ago this resort was a favorite summer getaway for upper-class Romans who mocked the uncultured local inhabitants. The ancient city of Praeneste contained the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia, one of the largest temple complexes in the ancient world. Fortuna was known as the goddess of fertility, abundance, and success. People came from near and far to pray for her good graces.

You’ll also want to see the Seventeenth Century Palazzo Barberini (Barberini Palace) housing the Museo Nazionale Archeologico di Palestrina (Palestrina Nation Archeology Museum) with its collection of Roman and Etruscan pieces and a two-thousand year mosaic that depicts the flooding of the Nile River. And there’s a model of the temple in its full glory.

The town of Ninfa was Papal property in times past. During the Fourteenth Century Pope Clement VII destroyed the town in an internal war. For about six hundred years it lay in ruins, largely because of the malarial mosquitoes in the nearby marshes. And then in 1920 an aristocratic English artist, Ada Wilbraham, married a member of the Caetani family that had been given the city way back in 1297 by Pope Boniface II, another Caetani. Wilbraham began the restoration that has continued to this day. The site includes a bridge and seven churches from Roman times, a castle, and the city wall, all in a state of arrested decay. The restored medieval town hall has hosted famous writers including Ezra Pound, Henry James, and T.S. Elliott. Its visiting hours are quite restricted.

The little town of Sermoneta also belonged to the Caetani family who built a castle to defend it in the Thirteenth Century. Pope Alexander VI, the father of Lucrezia Borgia, drew the line dividing Portuguese South America (Brazil) and Spanish South America (everywhere else). He seized the castle in the Fifteenth Century and transformed it into a fortress before giving it to his son Cesare. Later it returned to the Caetani family. Besides the castle you should see the Cathedrale and the wall paintings in the ruined San Giuseppe (St. Joseph’s) Church.

Sperlonga was a resort in the days of the Romans. The Roman Emperor Tiberius built a villa called Grotta di Tiberio, but it was more of a palace than a grotto. The dining room was situated on an island in the villa’s pool. As luck would have it, the grotto collapsed during an imperial party, but a government official saved Tiberius’s life. The site now is home to a museum, Museo Nazionale, which displays statues and artifacts from the villa. Make sure to see the massive statue of Odysseus blinding a Cyclops. The beautiful beach south of town is great for strolling and for swimming.

We head northwest along the Tyrrhenian Sea to finish our tour at Anzio. This city of about 45,000 people was the birthplace of Roman Emperors Caligula and Nero, who built a magnificent villa long since destroyed. Anzio is a resort area with high-quality beaches. From January 22 to May 24, 1944 Anzio and neighboring Nettuno were the site of a major World War II battle, Operation Shingle. The Allied invasion was said to be one of the most complete surprises in military history. However, the battle itself was quite deadly and proved to be controversial. The city contains the Anzio Beachhead British Military Cemetery and a Beachhead Museum. The American Military Cemetery is in Nettuno.

What about food? Latium cuisine is one of abundance. The best cuts of meat were reserved for the rich and the poor had to make do with the rest, including feet, heart, kidneys, tongue, and tripe. Let’s not forget the pasta, which is said to be among the best in Italy. Fettuccine Alfredo comes from this region.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Provatura alla Salsa di Acciughe (Provatura Cheese with Anchovy Sauce). Then try Saltimbocca alla Romana (Veal and Ham Rolls). For dessert you can indulge yourself with Crostata di Ricotta (Ricotta Tart with Candied Fruit). And remember to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We’ll terminate this article with a quick look at Latium wine. More than four out of five bottles produced here are white. There are twenty five DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine, twenty of them white. However, only about 6% of Latium wine is so classified. Frankly, the region is not known for its wine. It once was; in the distant past Falernum, a Latium red was the hit of Ancient Rome. Who knows, perhaps some day this region will regain its former glory when it comes to wine. In the meantime, there’s lots to see and to eat. And plenty of fine Italian wines are available. North of Latium is Umbria, and north of Umbria is Tuscany. Boncompagni Ludovisi’s Fiorano Rosso is a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend from Latium that comes highly recommended but I have yet to taste it.

If you are planning to tour Europe, you should consider the Latium region of central western Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Latium, also known as Laszio, is the region that includes Italy’s capital Rome, the Eternal City. Given the number of articles describing the multiple pleasures of Rome, we are going to write about the lesser-known attractions of Latium. This article focuses on Latium west of Rome. A companion article describes Latium east of Rome.

We’ll start our tour at Cerveteri about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Rome. We’ll head along the sea northwest past Rome’s port, Civitvecchia, and stop at Tarquinia. Then we’ll travel inland (northeast) to Tuscania, Viterbo, Bagnaia, and then southeast to the village of Caprarola. We then head almost directly north to finish our tour at Bomarzo not far from the Umbrian border. (It might be a bit shorter to go from Bagnaia to Bomarzo and then to Caprarola but as you will see, we have our reasons for following the first itinerary.) Before we start this tour we will introduce a onetime major player, the Etruscans.

The Etruscans were a people who dominated large parts of Italy including Latium from an unknown prehistoric period up until the Roman Empire. We don’t know much about their origins, language, culture, or their way of life. Much of our knowledge about this formerly powerful people can be seen on our tours of Latium. By the way, one of the most famous books about the Etruscans, Sketches of Etruscan Places and other Italian Essays (1932), was written by the British Author D. H. Lawrence, better known for another work, Lady Chatterly’s Lover.

Cerveteri, population about thirty thousand, was once the Etruscan city of Caere. UNESCO has classified Cerveteri as a World Heritage Site because of its Etruscan tombs. It is the largest ancient necropolis in the Mediterranean area. These tombs, and there are over a thousand of them, date from the Ninth Century B.C. to the Third Century B. C. Other local sights worth seeing include the Rocca castle, the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Sixteenth Century Palazzo Ruspoli, not to be confused with a Palace of the same name in Florence. The nearby burg of Ceri is at the top of a fortified plateau. Its main attraction is the Romanesque Church of the Madonna of Ceri, built on a site originally dedicated to the worship of the goddess Vesta. In 1980 during renovations, Twelfth Century frescos of Biblical scenes were uncovered.

Tarquinia whose population numbers about sixteen thousand is the site of about six thousand Etruscan tombs, some of which are decorated by wall paintings. The National Museum housed in the Fifteenth Century Palazzo Vitelleschi is known for its archeological contents. Tarquinia is home to a cathedral, several churches including two from the Twelfth Century (San Martino and St. John the Baptist), the Palazzo dei Priori, and several medieval towers.

Tuscania, population somewhat under eight thousand, was founded almost three thousand years ago but the area itself has been populated for perhaps eight or ten thousand years. Unfortunately Tuscania’s medieval city walls were mostly destroyed in a 1971 earthquake but they have been repaired and the interior is nicely landscaped. Like its neighbors, Tuscania is the site of many Etruscan tombs including the “Tomb of the Queen”, a series of labryinths containing about thirty tunnels. If you are like me, you prefer seeing other sights. Tuscania will not disappoint you. For example, you can tour several churches of great architectural interest and many, many palaces. And you can visit the National Archeological Museum, but many of the displays are tomb-related.

Viterbo was once the favorite residence of the popes. Its historic old center is among the best preserved towns of central Italy. Be sure to see the Palazzo dei Papi (Papal Palace) and the Romanesque Cathedral of San Lorenzo, built by the Lombards over the ruins of an Etruscan Temple dedicated to Hercules. This building also served as a Papal residence. Pope John XXI died here in 1277 when the ceiling collapsed as he was sleeping. The Plaza di San Lorenzo contains several other buildings of interest. The medieval district of San Pellegrino is quite well preserved and definitely worth visiting. Viterbo boasts a spa with a huge limestone pool of very hot water. Its volcanic mud is highly recommended for those who like that sort of thing. I am told that the Enoteca La Torre has an extensive wine list. The Tre Re restaurant has been a fixture of Viterbo’s old town since 1622.

The nearby village of Bagnaia was the personal fiefdom of the bishops of Viterbo for centuries. It is best known for its magnificent Sixteenth Century water gardens, Villa Lante. There are two sets of buildings, built for two bishops, one of whom was known for living simply. Highlights include a Moorish fountain, a boxtree maze, and two casinos.

Neighboring Caprarola is the site of the Sixteenth Century Farnese Palace. This Palace was built for Cardinal Alessandro II Farnese, nephew of Pope Paul III, within ten years of the Villa Lante. The two sites were built by the same architect, but in a very different style. Here you go to see the palace, although its park is nothing to sneer at. In fact, in many parts of the world, the Farnese Palace park would merit a visit on its own. Our suggestion, see the Villa Lante and the Farnese Palace and compare. One thing is certain, the Sixteenth Century Italian upper class sure knew how to live.

You probably haven’t seen anything like Bomarzo. The village’s main attraction is yet another Sixteenth Century garden, alternately known as Bosco Sacro (Sacred Grove) and Bosco di Mostri (Monster’s Grove). It was built by a hunchbacked patron of the arts to honor his deceased wife. Some say that she died of heart failure after seeing the park. For centuries this park was neglected but now has been restored. The dozens of monster statues including Hanging House, the Dragon, the Ogre, and the Etruscan Bench with its inscription “You who travel the world, in search of great and beautiful wonders, come here, where there are horrible faces, elephants, lions, bear and dragons” seem strewn about aimlessly. This is probably as good a place as any to end your tour of western Latium.

What about food? Latium cuisine is one of abundance, perhaps in part because of the volcanic soil. The best cuts of meat were reserved for the rich and the poor had to be satisfied with the rest, for example: feet, heart, kidneys, tongue, and tripe. Let’s not forget the pasta, said to be among the best in Italy. Fettuccine Alfredo comes from this region. Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Carciofi alla Guidea (Deep fried Artichokes). Then try Porchetta (Roast Suckling Pig). For dessert indulge yourself with Ciambella (Pastry with Sweetened Grapes and Carmelized Chestnuts). Be sure to augment your dining pleasure by choosing local wines to accompany your meal.

We’ll finish this article with a peek at Latium wine. More than four out of five bottles produced here are white. There are twenty five DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine, twenty of them white. However, only about 6% of Latium wine is so classified. Frankly, the region is not known for its wine. It once was; in the distant past Falernum, a Latium red was the hit of Ancient Rome. Who knows, perhaps one day the region will regain its former glory when it comes to wine. In the meantime, there is lots to see and lots to eat. You don’t have to look very far to find plenty of fine Italian wines. North of Latium is Umbria, and north of Umbria is Tuscany. Cantina Colacicchi’s Torre Ercolana is a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend from Latium that comes highly recommended but I have yet to taste it.

The capital city of the Baix Vinalopo District as well as the second largest city of the Alicante Province, Elche is a charming tourist destination, situated within the Valencian Autonomous Community, in the Costa Blanca Spanish region. Elche has a prosperous history dating back to the times of Iberian, and hence it is home to a plethora of historical sites.

Acknowledged as the ‘The City of Palms,’ Elche is much famed for its expansive palm tree grove, also known as the Palmeral of Elche, which is credited to be the only Palm forest in Europe, consisting of over 10,000 palm trees, of which majority of them are date palms. Covering an area of more than 3.5 sq km, the grove is believed to have been planted by the Phoenicians during the 6th century BC, although cultivated and designed by the Moors between 8th and 13th century. Most spectacular of the forest’s sight is the Imperial Palm, boasting seven stems and taking after the shape of a Candelabra. Further, many of the areas within the grove have now been developed into beautiful gardens and parks. Another interesting thing regarding this grove is that it is still watered by the irrigation system of the River Vinalopó, devised during the 10th century. The forest has been now declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

Equally fabulous is the Mystery Play of Elche, which is conducted annually. Declared as the masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage in 2001 by the UNESCO, the play is a sacred cum lyrical program dating back to the 15th century. Further, it is the only proof of the medieval religious European theatre.

Apart from these, Elche boasts a continuum of museums, such as the Municipal Festa Museum, Pucol Agricultural Museum, and La Alucida, all of them housing a range of rare artifacts. Popular among the city’s monuments are Torre de la Calahorra, Basilicca de Santa Maria, Town Hall, and Torre de Calendura. In addition, excellent options are available for nature as well as wildlife lovers, such as El Honda Nature Park and Clot de Galvany.

Attractions in Elche also cover some fabulous white beaches like La Marina, El Carabassi, L’ Altet, Arenals del Sol, and El Penet, each of them coupled with excellent facilities for a range of water sport activities. Further, Elche hosts a variety of fiestas, including Palm Sunday, The Hallelujas, Fiestas of the Virgin’s Arrival, and Nit de l’Alba.

Besides being home to a range of stunning as well as historically significant places, Elche is one of the leading producers of footwear in Europe.

The city’s gastronomy is usually Mediterranean in style, al though a continuum of restaurants serving international cuisine such as Valencian, European, and Spanish can be seen here.

Elche is within easy reach of almost all popular tourist destinations in Costa Blanca. For instance, Elche is only an hour’s drive from Alicante, which is at its northwest and half an hour drive from Benidorm – one of the most prominent tourist resorts across the shorelines of the Costa Blanca.

If you are hankering for a European tourist vacation, consider the city of Naples in the Campania region of southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. UNESCO declared the Historic Center of Naples a World Heritage Site in 1995. Naples is by no means undiscovered. But it is certainly less tourist infested than many other Italian cites. You should consider visiting Naples and other parts of Campania, described in companion articles in this series.

My generation remembers Dean Martin singing That’s Amore (Napoli) in his perhaps less memorable 1953 movie, The Caddy: “When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool; That’s amore (that’s amore); When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet, you’re in love; When you walk in a dream but you know you’re not dreaming, signore; ’scusa me, but you see, back in old Napoli, that’s amore.” My parents’ generation remembers the phrase See Naples and Die. Some say that it was the famous German author Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (who wrote Faust, a charming story about a guy who made a pact with the devil) that coined this phrase during his extended visit to Italy in 1786-1788.

Greek colonists founded Neopolis (new city) between the Seventh and Sixth Centuries B. C. The city maintained its Greek character during the Roman occupation. Over the centuries this sometimes beautiful, often ugly city was dominated by nearly a dozen nationalities ranging from the (French) Angevins to the (German) Swabians. Things were not always quiet. For example, in 1647 Masaniello a Neapolitan fisherman led a tax revolt against the Spanish occupiers. He died but became a national hero, and the revolt led to a short-lived Neapolitan republic.

At one time Naples was the third largest city in Europe and a major cultural center. When the Bourbon kings established the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1738 they chose Naples as its capital. After joining Italy in 1860 Naples started to decline. The Campania regional economy ranks near the bottom of the Italian regional economies, but these statistics are somewhat misleading as they don’t count the underground economy. Unlike the cities of northern Italy Naples has few immigrants, perhaps forty thousand, in a metropolitan population of at least three million. Unemployment remains high. The Sicilian-based Mafia is not very present, but the local Camorra is. Like anywhere else, and probably more so, you should watch yourself and your belongings in this fascinating city.

We’ll start our tour underground. Naples is home to miles and miles of subterranean Greco-Roman reservoirs and tunnels, some of which are available for visiting. People who lived above these tunnels once got their drinking water from wells in their homes. Much of Naples is constructed from stone removed during tunnel excavation. During World War II underground Naples served as air raid shelters whose walls display legible graffiti more than sixty years later. Unfortunately many of these tunnels are still blocked by World War II rubble. The rest of our tour will be above ground starting with Royal Naples.

The Castel Nuovo (New Castle) was first built by the Angevins in the Thirteenth Century and includes a decorative marble arch honoring a Spanish king. The castle includes numerous frescoes from the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. The moat surrounding the castle once contained a crocodile that devoured prisoners. The crocodile was killed and stuffed, and hung above a castle doorway where it remained until the mid-19th Century. The nearby Palatine Chapel includes the ironically named Sala dei Baroni (Baron’s Hall) in which a vicious king doused boiling oil on rebellious barons who were under the impression that they were going to a very different kind of party. In another version of the story, they were arrested and executed. In any case the room is still used for city council meetings.

The Twelfth Century Castel dell’Ovo (Egg Castle) was built upon the ruins of a Roman villa overlooking Naples Harbor. As they say in real estate, location, location, location. Should you so desire, you can get a hotel room right on the promontory.

The Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace) built in the beginning of the Seventeenth Century was one of four Bourbon Palaces in the Kingdom of Naples, the only one in town. Napoleon’s youngest sister and her husband, the King of Naples, lived there. Be sure to see the royal apartments to get a look at real luxury. Next door to the palace is Naples largest square, the Piazza del Plebiscito (Plebiscite Plaza), which was designed for that king and named for the plebiscite that joined Naples to Italy in 1860. The highlight of the square is the San Francesco di Paola, which is said to resemble the Pantheon in Rome. There are literally dozens of historic churches in Naples, spanning the centuries.

If we are going to cite Dean Martin, we should give equal time to Mario Lanza. In 1950 he produced an English-language version of the popular Italian tune Funiculi, Funicula featured in many movies and in the very first episode of The Flintstones. What does all this have to do with Naples? Take the funicular (a self-contained cable railway in which a pair of vehicles on rails moves up and down a very steep slope counterbalancing each other) to the upscale Vomero neighborhood high above the Bay of Naples.

The Fourteenth Century Castel Sant’Elmo (Saint Elmo Castle) was built to honor Saint Erasmoso. Perhaps Erasmo was too hard to pronounce. The Spaniards rebuilt this castle in the Sixteenth Century to deal with artillery fire. The castle is so well built that it still serves for military exercises as well as the site of art exhibitions. When you admire it, you should remember that it served as a prison for many years. The Certosa di San Martino (Saint Martino Charterhouse) is an ancient monastery transformed in the Seventeenth Century into one of Naples finest Baroque buildings with beautiful garden terraces. It houses the National Museum. Among its many treasures be sure to see the presepi (Christmas creches) and Tavola Strozzi (Strozzi’s Board), a depiction of Fourteenth Century Naples. The Villa Floridiana was built by King Ferdinand I of Bourbon for his second wife, the Duchess of Floridia. Not a bad gift; the grounds contain over one hundred species of trees, flowers, and plants as well as statues, fountains, temples, and even a fake ruin or two. The villa honors this site, and its view of Naples is spectacular.

Spaccanapoli (Split Naples) street is what the Neapolitans call it. You’ll find it on the map if you look for Via Benedetto Croce, Via San Biagio dei Librai, and Via San Gregorio Armeno depending on the neighborhood. Sights to see on the street or near it include the Gesu Nuovo (New Jesus) Church, originally built as a palace in the Fifteenth Century, the Fourteenth Century Santa Chiara Church and religious complex, the Sixteenth Century Cappella Sansevero (Sansevero Chapel) with multiple tombs and three quite distinctive sculptures, the Thirteenth Century San Lorenzo Maggiore Church complex built over Greek and Roman excavations, the Sixteenth Century Girolamini Church and monastery, and the Thirteenth Century Duomo (Cathedral) just across Via Duomo. The Cathedral includes the Sixth Century Santa Restitua Church. In addition to these historic churches, Spaccanapoli street is definitely worth the walk, whatever its official name.

Last but not least, make sure that you visit Naple&#8217s excellent museums. The Museo Archeologico Nazionale (National Archaeological Museum) has a great collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. The Museo di Capodimonte includes an extensive collection of paintings by Italian and other European masters and Bourbon royal apartments. The Palazzo delle Art Napoli (Palace of Neapolitan Art), known as PAN, and Museo d’Arte di Donna Regina (Donna Regina Art Museum), known as MADRE, are devoted to contemporary art.

What about food? Naples is the home of pizza of which three varieties are most famous: Pizza alla Napoletana (with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Oregano), Pizza Margherita (with Tomatoes, Mozzarrella, and Basil), and Pizza Marinara (with Garlic, Tomatoes, Oregano, Basil, and Anchovies). I love them all.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Alici in Tortiera (Baked Anchovies with Pecorino Cheese). Then try Ragu Napoletana (Veal Shank and Short Rib Stew). For dessert indulge yourself with Pasteria Napoletana (Cheese and Grain Pie). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Campania wine. Campania is number 9 among the 20 Italian regions when it comes to acreage devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine production. The region produces about 64% red and and close to 36% white wine, as there is little rose. There are 17 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Only 2.8% of Campania wine carries the DOC designation. Add a G for Guarantita, and you’ll find three, the red Taurasi, the white Greco di Tufo, and the white Fiano di Avellino. I have tasted this wine and found it to be top of the line. The white Campi Flegri DOC and the red or white Aversa DOC are produced not far west of Naples. Both whites are also available in sparkling version. Frankly, I’d go with the Fiano di Avellino.

Penang is a wonderful island destination in Southeast Asia, located in the straits of Malacca, on the north-west coast of Malaysia. Located just four-hour drive by air from Kuala Lumpur – the capital city of Malaysia, the city boasts of an enormous variety of attractions in the form of cultural spots, ancient shrines, beautiful beaches and islands, and several other natural landmarks including Penang Hill.

Equally interesting is the long history of Penang dating back to the mid 16th century when some of the Portuguese merchants from Goa (India) who cruised to the Far East in search of spice stopped on a small rocky isle on the northern coast of Penang in order to obtain fresh water from a river close by.

The locals called these Portuguese traders ferringi. Later, this rocky islet came to be known as Batu Ferringhi, otherwise known as Lover’s Isle. However, the Portuguese named the main island ‘Pulo Pinaom’, literally meaning Betel Nut Island. This later became Penang, which means ‘palm tree.’ Probably at that time there were areca nut palm trees in abundance in the area.

In the 17th century, Penang served as a natural harbor during the monsoon months for Arabian, Chinese, Dutch, French, and Indian ships. In meantime, Penang also became much popular among the pirates who plundered ships that traversed via the Straits of Malacca. By the 18th century, the spice as well as opium trade between the East and west became greatly popular.

At this time, the Dutch dominated the spice trade. Later, the British also took steps to enter the scenario to dominate spice trade. As a result, they sent Captain Francis Light to establish good trade relations in this region. But, during this time Penang was under the control of the Kingdom of Kedah. In 1771, the Sultan of Kedah handed over Penang to Captain Francis Light in return for protection against the threats of Burmese and Siamese.

After a year, Francis Light sailed to Junk Ceylon in order to form a business there, along with one of his friends, James Scott. This in turn allowed him to gain knowledge on the customs as well as the language of the people, thereby enabling him to win the trusts of the people. Later, in August 1786, Light landed at today’s Esplanade in order to officially take possession of the island. This marked the propitious beginning of the first British settlement on Malaysian soil.

After this, the area was renamed ‘Prince of Wales Island.’ Later, Light founded a settlement on the northeast peninsula of the island, and named it George Town to honor George, the then Prince of Wales, who later became King George IV. As a result, this uninhabited area’s population rose to 10,000 by the end of the century. Prince of Wales Island soon flourished as a trading post for tea, cloves, pepper, nutmeg, and textiles.

Meanwhile, when Sultan Abdullah, the then ruler of Sultanate of Kedah, learned that the British is not willing to offer protection, he gathered an army to retake Penang. However, Kedah was defeated, and accordingly Sultan Abdullah entered a contract with the British to hand over Penang to the British. In return, Light agreed to pay the Sultan annually an amount of 6,000 Spanish dollars. This system still continues, and today Penang Government pays RM 18,800 to the Sultan of Kedah every year. When Francis Light died in 1794, his position was taken over by Martina Rozells and William Light.

During the beginning of the 19th century, the settlement of Penang was transformed into Presidency. By the middle of the 19th century, Penang witnessed a glorious trade, with the founding of rich deposits of tin in nearby state, namely, Perak.

Later, Penang was famed as an immigration port, serving immigrants from across the world, particularly from South India and South China. After some times, steps were taken to link Penang by ship to such destinations as Medan, Rangoon, and Singapore.

By the turn of the 20th century, Penang became an important center for trading rubber. In 1905, the first hydroelectric system in the region was completed. Soon after a year, the city’s first electric tramway was developed. Gradually, other modes of transport were also introduced here, such as rickshaws.

During the1930s, Penang became an important center of entertainment, with an array of cabaret and cinema halls and gambling centers. This in turn paved way for the ruin of many rich families. Penang further suffered as a result of the Wall Street Crash. Soon after this, the Second World War broke out in 1941. During this time, the region was bombed. As a result, the British took off to Singapore. Then, came the fearful days, when Penang was dominated by the Japanese Kempettai. Eventually, the Japanese force surrendered to the English forces in 1945.

After long years of struggle for power between the democratic forces of Britain and Malaya and the communists, Malaysia attained independence in August 1957, and Penang became one of its 13 states. Penang is now officially known as Negeri Pulau Pinang.

Kubu Partai Demokrat sudah pasti gerah. Aktivis Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) mengaku memiliki data tentang nama pejabat partai politik, pengusaha serta lembaga komisi pemilihan umum dan bahkan lembaga survei penerima aliran dana Bank Century dengan total Rp 1,8 triliun . Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono bahkan disebut menerima Rp 500 miliar. Gara-gara berita miring tersebut, pihak-pihak yang disebut-sebut menerima aliran dana Century melaporkannya ke polisi. Siapa sajakah penerima dana Century?

“Data-data ini berdasarkan dari jaringan aktivis Jakarta, Bandung, Cianjur dan Bogor,” kata Ferdi Simaun dari Aktivis Bandung kepada wartawan di Posko Bendera, Jakarta, Senin (30/11) sebagaimana yang dilansir Primair Online, 1 Desember 2009.

Menurut Ferdi, diduga nama-nama tersebut adalah:

1. KPU menerima dana Rp 200 miliar

2. LSI Rp 50 miliar

3. FOX Rp 200 miliar

4. Partai Demokrat Rp 700 miliar

5. Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono Rp 500 miliar

6. Hatta Radjasa Rp 10 miliar

7. Mantan Panglima TNI, Djoko Suyanto Rp 10 miliar.

8. Mantan Jubir Presiden Andi Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar

9. Rizal Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar

10. Choel Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar

11. Pengusaha Hartati Murdaya Rp 100 miliar.

Ketika ditanya sumber data -data tersebut, Ferdi mengatakan pihaknya tidak ingin menyebutkan dari mana sumber data yang dia terima tersebut.”Tidak etis kalau diberi tahu sumber data tersebut. Ini rahasia dan kami melindungi sumber tersebut,” katanya

Sementara itu, Koordinator Bendera Mustar Bonaventura mengatakan data-data aliran dana Bank Century yang sebagian besar diterima sejumlah kalangan politisi dan pengusaha tersebut siap dipertanggungjawabkan.

“Aliran dana bank Century sebagian dipergunakan untuk kepentingan politik. Ini adalah mafia politik dan ini sudah sangat jelas siapa-siapa saja yang menerima aliran dana Century,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Anggota DPR dari Fraksi Partai Demokrat Ruhut Sitompul membantah kalau Partai Demokrat, Tim Sukses SBY dan Edhie Baskoro (putra Presiden SBY) menerima aliran dana Bank Century (BC). “Bohong, adanya data PPATK yang beredar dan menyebutkan ada beberapa nama dari tim sukses dan keluarga besar Partai Demokrat menerima dana BC. tidak benar, apalagi bawa-bawa nama-nama Edhie Baskoro,” kata Ruhut kepada Primair Online, Jakarta, Senin (30/11).

Anggota Komisi III DPR tersebut juga mengungkapkan, adanya dugaan bahwa putra Presiden SBY Edhie Baskoro menerima aliran dana BC juga dibantah oleh Ruhut.”Tidak mungkin ada aliran dana kepada Edhie Baskoro karena saya tahu siapa Edhie Baskoro. Ibarat buah yang jatuh, tidak jauh dari batang. Dia anak SBY yang merupakan bapak penegak hukum,” kata Ruhut.

Menteri Koordinator Politik Hukum dan Keamanan (Menkopolhukam) Djoko Suyanto membantah kalau dirinya menerima aliran dana dari skandal Bank Century. “Saya kan bukan bendahara, saya wakil ketua. Yang terima kan bendahara, saya bantah keras ya saya tidak menerima dana kampanye karena posisi saya wakil ketua tim kampanye presiden, tidak ada yang mengalir ke saya,” kata Djoko Suyanto, saat dikonfirmasi wartawan di Istana Negara, Jakarta, Senin (30/11).

Lebih lanjut, Mantan Panglima TNI itu secara tegas mempersilakan untuk menelusuri tuduhan dana kampanye tersebut.”Ada laporan lengkapnya di KPU tinggal ditelusuri saja disitu, silahkan buka di situ dan itu sudah diaudit auditor independen yang ditunjuk oleh KPU. Jadi sangat terbuka kan sudah diumumkan oleh KPU,” ujar dia. *

Kata aktivis Bendera, Ferdi Semaun, nama-nama penerima adalah :

1. KPU  sebesar Rp 200 miliar,
2. LSI sebesar Rp 50 miliar,
3. FOX Indonesia sebesar Rp 200 miliar,
4. Partai Demokrat sebesar Rp 700 miliar,
5. Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono sebanyak Rp 500 miliar,
6. Hatta Radjasa sebanyak Rp 10 miliar,
7. mantan Panglima TNI Djoko Suyanto Rp 10 miliar,
8. mantan Jubir Presiden Andi Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar,
9. Rizal Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar,
10. Choel Malarangeng Rp 10 miliar,
11. dan Pengusaha Hartati Murdaya Rp 100 miliar.

Ketika ditanya sumber data -data tersebut, Ferdi memilih tutup mulut. Namun ia menegaskan data itu cukup valid.

Wah, yang didakwa sepertinya sudah siap2 melaporkan pencemaran nama baik nich. Mas Ferdi juga siap – siap dengan pengacara terbaik. Selamat berperang !!

Tunjuk hidung sudah pasti bisa ditebak, Mentri Keuangan Sri Mulyani Indrawati dan Guberner BI waktu itu Budiono, wah bikin rame nich. Kedua orang ini sekarang menjadi icon semua yang berhubungan dengan kasus bank century, mulai angket dan kasus bibit candra.

Banyak opini, kasus bibit chandra ini dibuat untuk melindungi kepentingan besar di balik kasus bailout bank century ini. Patut ditunggu langkah pemimpin negara ini.

DPR dengan langkah hak Angket alias investigasi versi wakil rakyat atas kebijakan ini. Dari sejarah masa lalu, hak angket ini bisa menggulingkan kekuasaan presiden. Wah berabeh kalo SBY bisa lengser nich, smoga tidak. DPR sudah menentukan target orang yg bertanggung jawab untuk diintrogasi, ya dua orang di atas tadi.

Langkah cepat KPK patut ditunggu setelah hasil audit BPK menunjukkan bahwa ada ketidak beresan ketika proses bailout 6.7 trilyun itu.

Rakyat dengan kecepatan informasi dan media massa yang setiap hari tidak pindah headline, sebagai kontrol yang copas mengawal proses hukum bank century.

If you looking for a special European tourist destination, why don’t you consider the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy on the border of both Switzerland and Austria? Its many tourist attractions include the Dolomite Mountains, that the famous architect Le Corbusier called “The most beautiful work of architecture even seen,” glacier lakes, and Alpine forests. The region is composed of two parts, Trentino in the south and Alto Adige in the north. This article presents Trentino; a companion article presents Alto Adige.

We’ll start our tour of Trentino at Rovereto near the border with Lombardy. We proceed northeast to the local capital, Trento, and head west first past the village of Comano with its thermal waters then past the typical Trentino village of Tione. Here we turn northeast to finish our tour at the ski resort Madonna di Campiglio. There is a lot more skiing in the area, but it’s over the border into Lombardy not very far from Switzerland.

The medieval city of Rovereto, population about 35 thousand, has had its share of warfare. In 1796 Napoleon won a bloody battle against Austria. And in World War I Italian and Austrian troops fought a bloody, inconclusive battle. Every night fall the thousands who died there are honored by La Campana dei Caduti (The Bell of the Fallen) that tolls 100 times in remembrance of the fallen of all wars as a warning for future peace. This bell, cast in 1924, is the largest bell in the world that rings full peal.

The Museo Storico Italiano della Guerra (Italian Historical War Museum) was founded after World War I in order to commemorate the war and to prevent future wars. It is situated in a medieval castle exemplifying Fifteenth Century Venetian military architecture with its tunnels, moats, and towers. It is perhaps the world’s largest anti-war museum. An annex displays World War I artillery in an air-raid shelter from that time. For a change of pace, visit MART, the Museo D’Arte Moderna e Contemporaneo (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art). The focus is on a local artist, Fortunato Depero, but the collection includes works from Picasso, Leger, Klee, Kandinsky, Lichtenstein, Modigliani, and Warhol among others.

Trento, population about one hundred thousand if you add in the suburbs, is Trentino’s major city. Its main historical claim to fame was the 1545 to 1563 Council of Trent that marked the beginning of the Counter-Reformation. The fight to join Trento-Alto Adige to Italy was a major reason for Italian participation in World War I.

The Duomo (Cathedral of San Virgilio) is a Twelfth-Thirteenth Century Romanesque-Gothic structure built over a Sixth Century Church dedicated to the city’s patron saint, San Virgilio. Whenever the Council of Trent came to a decision, it was read at the Cappela del Crocifisso (Chapel of the Crucifix) located within the cathedral.

The Sixteenth Century Renaissance Santa Maria Maggiore Church hosted many sessions of the Council of Trent. The courtyard at 18 via Rosmini contains the mosaic floor of a Roman villa of the Second Century A.D.

The Castello del Buonconsiglio (Castle of Good Counsel) started in the Thirteenth Century next to the city walls. Over the centuries it grew. This castle includes the Museo Provinciale d’Arte (Provincial Art Museum). Be sure you visit the frescoes including the famous Fifteenth Century Cycle of the Months, portraying contemporary life in Medieval Trentino in the Torre Aquila (Eagle Tower) and the late Sixteenth Century frescoes depicting hunting scenes in the Torre del Falco (Falcon Tower).

Other sights to see include several historic churches, underground remains of Roman streets and villas, the modernistic train station, the Museo Storico in Trento (Trento Historical Museum) scheduled to reopen soon if not already, and the Museo dell’Aeronautica Gianni Caproni (Gianni Caproni Aeronautical Museum) located at the airport. Check out the Mountain Film Festival.

Not far from Trento, especially if you are willing to drive on Alpine roads competing against Alpine drivers, are two great sites; the medieval spa town of Levico Terme and the Alpine Botanical Garden home to more than one thousand species of plants originating in the Alps and other mountain ranges across the globe. Madonna di Campiglio advertises itself as Italy’s number one ski resort. The clientele is mostly Italian and the slopes are generally intermediate level, but there are slopes for beginners and experts as well. The resort boasts 57 lifts and 150 kilometers (90 miles) of ski runs with a capacity of over thirty thousand skiers per hour. There are 40 kilometers (25 miles) of cross-country ski trails. You can go to the city center and back without ever removing your skis. For a change of pace, visit the nearby Adamello-Brenta Natural Park encompassing 450 kilometers (300 miles) of mountain paths, but you will have to remove your skis to do so. This resort recently hosted the Snowboard World Championships. Head a bit north to Campo Carlo Magno, a mountain pass that Charlemagne is said to have traversed on the way to his coronation in Rome way back in the year 800.

Since you have come this far you should consider visiting two more sites; Bormio about sixty miles (one hundred kilometers) northwest of Madonna di Campiglio and Passo dello Stelvio about twelve miles (twenty kilometers) north of Bormio just south of the Swiss border. These sites are in the Lombardy region, far from the cities and towns described in our various Lombardy articles. Briefly, Bormio has lots of long pistes and a one mile drop. You will find Roman baths (frequented by none other than Leonardo da Vinci) and a spa. Bormio is an entry point to the largest national park in the Alps, Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio with six hundred different species of mushrooms. Passo dello Stelvio is the second highest pass in Europe.

What about food? Trentino cuisine has a real Alpine accent and includes plenty of butter, cheese, game, and wild mushrooms, dozens of which can be found in local markets. The nearly three hundred lakes and rivers furnish plenty of fish. Expect to eat potato, buckwheat, and mostly corn polenta. A major contender for Italy’s most weirdly named dish is Strangolapreti (Priest Strangler). No record actually exists of priests giving up the ghost when faced with these Spinach, Egg, and Cheese Gnocchi but the idea was that their delicate throats couldn’t handle these robust Gnocchi.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Orzetto (Barley Soup with Ham). Then try Trota alla Trentina (Marinated Trout in Lemon and Red Wine Sauce). For dessert indulge yourself with Zelten (Wheat Cake with Dried Fruits and Nuts). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Trentino-Alto Adige wine. Trentino-Alto Adige ranks 16th among the 20 Italian regions for acreage devoted to wine grapes and 14th for total annual wine production. The region produces approximately 55% red and 45% white wine. There are eight DOC wines of which six are found in Trentino (one DOC wine is shared with Alto Adige and another with Alto Adige and with Veneto.) DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. A whopping 79.1% of Trentino-Alto Adige wine carries the DOC designation, which is far and away the highest percentage in Italy.

The Trentino DOC covers the entire Trento province and provides over twenty types of wine. The most recent Trento-Alto Adige wine that I tasted was a Vino Novello (New Wine) that probably wasn’t typical of Trento-Alto Adige wine but was typical of Vino Novello wine. The less said the better. There actually is a wine called Pinot Grigio Trentino Concilio (Pinot Gris Council of Trent) but I haven’t tasted it.

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy on the border of both Switzerland and Austria. Among its tourist attractions are the Dolomite Mountains, that the famous architect Le Corbusier called “The most beautiful work of architecture even seen,” glacier lakes, and Alpine forests. In fact the region is composed of two parts, Trentino in the south and Alto Adige in the north. This article presents Alto Adige; a companion article presents Trentino.

When you live in Alto Adige you have to declare your first language: choices include Italian (26.5%), German (69%), and Ladin (4%). There is a German-speaking majority in fully 103 of 116 communes, and only 5 have an Italian-speaking majority. We won’t discuss the sometimes painful history of German-Italian relations in Alto Adige but are happy to say that the relations are now fairly good. As a tourist you’ll be able to enjoy the two cultures.

We’ll start our tour of Alto Adige at Caldaro near the border with Trentino. Then we will proceed basically clockwise visiting Naturno and Bolzano (the regional capital and largest city), and then pass the following towns and ski resorts which we won’t have time to visit on this tour: Chiusa, Bressanone, Brunico, and Dobbiaco. We resume visiting at Cortina d’Ampezzo, and proceed west to Canazei and to Lago di Carezza only about 22 kilometers (14 miles) from our starting point. We’ll do something here that we haven’t done previously. In addition to the place name in Italian, we’ll supply the German name in parentheses. Don’t forget, Alto Adige, known as Sued Tyrol in German, is still heavily German speaking and retains a distinctive Germanic, or more exactly Austrian, character.

Caldaro (Kaltern) is a village of about 7500 residents that annually attracts over 400,000 tourists. So you know the basis of its economy. Its architecture is a pleasing combination of Italian Renaissance and German Gothic elements as exemplified in the historic Church of Santa Caterina in the town center. The Caldero Lake claims to be the warmest in the Alps and so is enjoyable from May to September. Visit the Museo Provinciale del Vino (Provincial Wine Museum) situated in a princely manor. Caldaro is in South Tyrol’s best wine region and you can walk from the museum to vineyards growing rare and ancient grape varieties.

The horticultural center of Naturno (Naturns) whose population is approximately five thousand, is near the westernmost point of our tour. Be sure to see the Seventh Century Church of San Procolo, in particular its ancient frescoes among the oldest in the German-speaking world. Then drive a bit west to the Thirteenth Century Castel Juval now owned by Reinhold Messner, who holds two Mount Everest firsts. He climbed it solo and he climbed it without additional oxygen. The castle now serves as an inn, a winery, and a museum devoted to mountaineering and Tibetan art.

Bolzano (Bozen) is the capital of the autonomous province of Alto Adige. Its population is approximately 100,000, and includes many German speakers. However, Bolzano does have a heavy majority of Italian speakers. In this city you can hear two languages and enjoy two cultures.

Perhaps you will start with the Museo Archeologico dell’Alto Adige (South Tyrol Archeological Museum) whose star attraction is Oetzi, the more than five thousand year old iceman discovered in Italy near the Austrian border in 1991. The museum offers many other exhibits, both predating and postdating the world’s oldest naturally preserved body.

The Gothic Duomo (Cathedral) was built from the Twelfth to Fourteenth Centuries. Of particular interest are its frescoes and stone pulpit. The Porta del Vino (Wine Gate) on the outside of the building shows peasants at work in the vineyards. Remember, this is wine country. The Fourteenth Century Chiesa dei Domenicani (Dominican Monastery) was badly damaged over the centuries including during World War II. Some of its paintings and frescoes are in bad shape, however others are magnificent.

Other churches to see include the Thirteenth Century Chiesa dei Domenicani (Dominican Church), which hosts Bolzano’s best collection of paintings and frescoes, its chapel Cappella di San Giovanni, and the Twelfth Century Vecchia Parrochiale (Old Parish Church) with a Romanesque crucifix predating the church itself and a Fifteenth Century Gothic wooden altar.

The vine covered Thirteenth Century Castel Mareccio (Mareccio Castle) is now a congress center with a courtyard that can accommodate up to two hundred people. A transparent roof ensures year round availability. The castle’s frescoes can be seen only on Tuesdays in a free guided tour, either in Italian or in German.

Make sure to see Bolzano’s two main squares. A statue of Neptune, god of the sea, overlooks the produce market in the Piazza delle Erbe. Go there before lunch and make yourself a picnic. The Piazza Walther with its Monument to Walther honors a local hero, the wandering minstrel Walther von der Vogelweide, a sort of Twelfth Century Bob Dylan.

Do you like walking? If you do, there are numerous beautiful promenades including the 8 kilometer (5 mile) Passeggiata del Guncina with its view of the city, the Passeggiata di Sant’Osvaldo (Oswald Promenade) skirting vineyards on the edge of the city, and Passeggiate del Lungotalvera (Lungotalvera Promenade) along the river in the middle of town.

Cortina d’Ampezzo is a fairly exclusive, mostly Italian speaking, winter resort. Cortina was supposed to host the 1944 Winter Olympics but because of World War II had to wait until 1956. Known as “The Pearl of the Dolomites,” it sits in a meadow about 4000 feet (1.2 kilometers) above sea level, surrounded by mountains. Its great location has made Cortina the site of many popular films including The Pink Panther and For Your Eyes Only. It seems that younger Italians prefer Madonna di Campiglio, described in our companion article on Trentino.

Canazei is popular, mostly German speaking, winter resort in the Val di Fassa. Attractions include a lovely little village and slopes satisfying skiers with a wide range of abilities. Be sure to take the cable car up to Col Rodella for a truly magnificent view of the mountains.

We finish our tour of this beautiful region at the mile-high glacier lake, Lago di Carezza. In this lake you can see reflections of the surrounding forests and mountains. We’re almost back to our starting point of Caraldo. Don’t you feel like doing this circular tour again? There is so much that we have seen, but there is so much that we haven’t seen yet.

What about food? In Alto Adige the cuisine tends to be Austro-Tyrolean. Some of the most popular foods include wursts, cabbage dishes, dumplings, and potatoes. Pork is big, especially Speck, Austrian smoked ham. One local specialty that I have no intention of trying is salami made from donkey. I’ll stick with the sauerkraut.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Sauersuppe (Tyrolean Tripe Soup). Then try Zuppa al Vino Bianco (Stew with White Wine). For dessert indulge yourself with Kastanientorte (Pureed Chestnut Cake). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Trentino-Alto Adige wine. Trentino-Alto Adige ranks number 16 among the 20 Italian regions when it comes to acreage devoted to wine grapes and number 14 for total annual wine production. The region produces about 55% red and 45% white wine. There are eight DOC wines of which three are found in Alto Adige (one DOC wine is shared with Trentino and another with Trentino and with Veneto.) DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably indicating a high-quality wine. A whopping 79.1% of Trentino-Alto Adige wine carries the DOC designation, by far the highest percentage in Italy. The Alto Adige DOC designation is divided into several subzones. The most recent Trento-Alto Adige wine that I tasted was a Vino Novello (New Wine) that probably wasn’t typical of Trento-Alto Adige wine but was typical of Vino Novello wine. The less said the better. However, there are several fine Alto Adige wines. The San Leonardo, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is said to be quite good but is pricey. You may do well with a less expensive bottle based on the local red Lagrein grape, if you can find one.

If you are planning to tour Europe, you should really consider the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area might be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. Some parts of Lombardy are relatively undiscovered by tourists. This article presents Lombardy outside of its capital Milan or the beautiful Lake districts, which are described in companion articles in this series.

Over the millennia Lombardy has been invaded by many nations including the Etruscans and the Gauls, then the Romans, Franks, and Goths, and finally the French, Spaniards, and Austrians. Did we forget the Lombards? All of these invaders left their mark, some more and some less. Keep local history in mind as you tour this impressive region.

We start our tour at Pavia about twenty-five miles (forty kilometers) south of Milan. Then we proceed southeast to Cremona. We continue east to finish this short tour at Mantua near the Veneto border.

Once upon a time little Pavia (population about 70 thousand) was a major rival of nearby Milan (city population about 1.3 million and metropolitan population over 5 million.) Its defeat by the Barbarians in 476 commonly marks the end of the Western Roman Empire. Almost nine hundred years later the internationally known University of Pavia was founded, based on a law and divinity school established by the year 825. Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta was the most famous individual associated with this university. It was Volta who discovered methane gas and invented the electric battery. When you think about volts and voltage, think about Pavia.

Arguably the most famous native of Pavia was Benedetto Cairoli, the 13th and 15th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy. He was somewhat of a hero during Risorgimento (the fight for Italian independence) but had a relatively undistinguished career as Prime Minister with a single exception. Cairoli risked his life and was severely wounded when he successfully protected the unpopular King Umberto I from assassination early in his reign. Now let’s consider Pavia’s sights.

Pavia is home to several other churches worth seeing. The Lombard-Romanesque San Michele Maggiore Church was built on the site of a preexisting Lombard church. First destroyed shortly after the turn of the first millennium it was rebuilt during the Twelfth Century. The Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro (St. Peter in Golden Sky) actually originated in the beginning of the Seventh Century. Its name refers to gold leaf mosaics that formerly decorated parts of the ceiling. This basilica was featured in Bocaccio’s Decameron. You may also want to see the Thirteenth Century brick Santa Maria del Carmine Church and the Renaissance Santa Maria di Canepanova Church.

Head about five miles (eight kilometers) north of town to see Pavia’s number one attraction, the Fifteenth Century Certosa di Pavia (Charterhouse of Pavia) monastery. This complex, which took over one hundred years to build, is considered an excellent expression of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It includes a great collection of paintings and stained glass windows. The church was meant to house the tombs of its owners, the noble Visconti family but only one family member is actually buried there. His tomb took over sixty years to build. Nearby is the tomb of another Duke and his wife Beatrice d’Este, a real Renaissance woman and a beauty as well, who died in childbirth at age 22. You may have heard of her sister-in-law, Lucrezia Borgia.

The city of Cremona, population about seventy thousand, was first settled well over two thousand years ago. The famous Roman poet Virgil went to school there and owned a family farm in the vicinity. Another name is indelibly linked to this city, that of Antonio Stradivari, the world’s greatest violinmaker. His masterpieces are simply the world’s best-known and most expensive stringed instruments. As they say about yachts, if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it. It’s not sour grapes, but what would I do with a Stradivari violin, or mandolin? Perhaps trade it for vintage wine and Champagne.

The violin as we know it was invented in Cremona around 1564 by Andrea Amati who died more than sixty years before Stradivari was born. The Guarneri family created world famous violins here and elsewhere in Italy. Even today there are more than 50 violinmakers in Cremona. The Piazza Roma square near Stradivari’s house and workshop contains his tombstone and grave. The city includes the Scuola Internazionale di Liuteria (International School of Violin Making) and the Museo Stradivariano (Stradivarius Museum)

Our next and final stop is the city of Mantua whose population is slightly under fifty thousand. Some say that Mantua was founded about four thousand years ago. The great Roman poet Virgil was born in a nearby village. In the Twelfth Century Mantua adopted a novel means of protection against invasion, namely four artificial lakes that ringed the city. Three of them exist to this day; the fourth dried up in the Eighteenth Century. If you remember your Shakespeare, Romeo fled to Mantua after killing Juliet’s cousin in a swordfight. Talk about a family feud.

Mantua’s Palazzo Ducale was built between the Fourteenth and Seventeenth Centuries and boasts some 500 rooms. Its centerpiece is the Camera degli Sposi (The Wedding Chamber) room that took Andrea Mantegna about seven years to paint. When you see it, you’ll know why. Since you’re only allowed ten minutes to admire this marvelous, unique room you should familiarize yourself with the painting before your allotted time slot. One more thing, don’t forget to look at the ceiling.

Finish your tour at the suburban Palazzo Te built in the Sixteenth Century. Unlike many other historic Italian buildings this one was completed in only ten years. In fact its shell went up in eighteen months. In spite of its speedy construction it is considered one of the greatest Renaissance palaces. Don’t forget to tour the Camera di Amore e Psiche (Cupid and Psyche’s Room) showing a wedding with quite interesting and unusual guests and the Camera dei Giganti (Room of the Titans) in which Jupiter expels the Titans from Mount Olympus. The walls contain graffiti dating back to the Seventeenth Century. Please don’t add your own.

What about food? Of Italy’s twenty regions Lombardy trails only Emilia-Romagna in food production. A lot of the food is of foreign origin, not surprising given the frequency with which Lombardy fell under outside domination. But there are also local specialties. For example, Cremona is known for Mostarda, mustard flavored candied fruits that accompany Bollito Misto, mixed boiled meats. A local version of this treat calls for calf’s head, veal tongue, and pig’s foot among others. Cremona also claims to have invented ravioli.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Zuppa alla Pavese (Soup with Bread, Butter, Eggs, and grated Parmesan Cheese). Then try Bollito Misto (Mixed Boiled Meats). For dessert indulge yourself with Colombe Pasquale (dove shaped Easter Bread with Candied Fruit). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Lombardy wine. Lombardy ranks 11th among the 20 Italian regions for both acreage devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine production. The region produces about 62% red and rose and 38% white wine, but there is little rose. There are 15 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Over 47% of Lombardy wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. There are three DOCG wines: the sparkling Franciacorta said to compete with French Champagne and priced accordingly, the red Sforzato di Valtellina, and the red Valtellina Superiore.

Lambrusco Mantovano DOC is a red or rose dry or sweet fizzy wine produced southeast of Mantua from local grapes. The San Colombano al Lambro DOC is red or white still or fizzy wine made from a variety of local grapes about halfway between Milan and Cremona. The area’s best-known wine is the Oltrepo Pavese DOC grown south of Pavia, across the Po River, hence its name. This wine, the favorite of Milan, is made in several styles from multiple grape varieties.